Benson Lau

Contact

• workRoom B44 Lenton Firs
  University Park
  Nottingham
  NG7 2RD
  UK
• work0115 84 67542
• fax01159513159
• benson.lau@nottingham.ac.uk

Expertise Summary

Benson Lau is a chartered architect (RIBA) with expertise in integrated environmental design. He engaged in practice since 1996 as an architect and environmental / lighting design consultant in collaboration with Peter Eley Architects, Zaha Hadid Architects, Ateliers Jean Nouvel, John Pawson Architects, Fin Architects, Lotus Architects, Hong Kong, Isometrix Lighting Design, Fulcrum Consulting and Price & Myers Consulting Engineers, London before joining WSP Environmental Ltd in 2001, subsequently headed up the company's Far East operation.

He joined the School of the Built Environment, Nottingham University in 2005. Current academic roles include course director of the MArch in Environmental Design Course and design studio tutor for postgraduate students. He also lectured at the Martin Centre, University of Cambridge, the Department of Architecture, London Metropolitan University, Nottingham Trent University, the Architecture and Planning Department, Tongji University in Shanghai and the Shanghai Research Institute of Building Sciences (SRIBS). Supported by RCUK Summer School Award in September 2008, he successfully organized and delivered a workshop on the theme of "Architecture, Climate and Environment" in collaboration with the architecture department at Tsinghua University, Beijing. In July 2011, he received the Lord Dearing Award for Teaching and Learning from Nottingham University.

Current research interests primarily address the integrated environmental design approach, environmental performance prediction of building and related issues of occupant comfort and behavior. This design approach is a key component in his practice and teaching activities in the UK and Far East and the selective use of building performance prediction tools to support and enhance architectural decision-making has been adopted in his building projects world wide. Another research interest is the poetics of light in architecture. Recent research projects included the investigation of Light in Le Corbusier's religious buildings and his experimentation on Brise-Soleil in Chandigarh, India.

Selected Publications

• LAU, PH, 2008. The Poetics of Sacred Light in Le Corbusier's Religious Building: A comparative study of the luminous environment in Ronchamp Chapel and the Monastery of La Tourette. A research Report submitted for the RIBA Research Trust Award 2006.
• LAU, PH and DUAN, ZC, 2008. The Daylight Benefit Conferred Upon Adjoining Rooms by Specular Surfaces in Top-Lit Atria Architectural Science Review. Volume 51(Number 3), 204-211
• LAU, PH, 2010. The Spatial Poetry and the Luminous Environment in the Scholar Gardens of China. In: SET 2010 – 9th International Conference on Sustainable Energy Technologies, 24-27 August 2010, Shanghai, China.
• SEKAR, D and LAU, PH, 2012. The application of integrated environmental design approach in the design of Jouberton nursery school at South Africa In: International Conference on ‘Architecture: Education, Practice and Research’ organized by the Department of Architecture, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), 2-4 February 2012.

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• SEKAR, D and LAU, PH, 2012. The application of integrated environmental design approach in the design of Jouberton nursery school at South Africa In: International Conference on ‘Architecture: Education, Practice and Research’ organized by the Department of Architecture, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), 2-4 February 2012.
• KACEL, S AND LAU, PH, 2012. The ‘Poetics of Space’ by Daylight in the Frame of Environmental Design Principles for a Mixed-Use Dwelling In: PLEA2012 - 28th Conference, Opportunities, Limits & Needs Towards an environmentally responsible architecture Lima, Perú 7-9 November 2012. (In Press.)
• PATHERYA, M AND LAU, PH, 2012. Assessment of the behaviour of ‘courtyards’ as a design element in India and its implication as an environmental solution. In: PLEA2012 - 28th Conference, Opportunities, Limits & Needs Towards an environmentally responsible architecture Lima, Perú 7-9 November 2012. (In Press.)
• YIANNAKOU,S AND LAU, PH, 2012. Luminous Environment in Le Corbusier’s Museum: An investigation of light in Chandigarh Museum in India and the Museum of Western art in Tokyo. In: PLEA2012 - 28th Conference, Opportunities, Limits & Needs Towards an environmentally responsible architecture Lima, Perú 7-9 November 2012. (In Press.)
• JAIME, AC AND LAU, PH, 2012. Light in Seinäjoki Library, Rovaniemi Library and Mount Angel Library designed by Alvar Aalto- A Critical Review In: PLEA2012 - 28th Conference, Opportunities, Limits & Needs Towards an environmentally responsible architecture Lima, Perú 7-9 November 2012. (In Press.)
• JAIME, AC AND LAU, PH, 2012. Daylight performance in Capuchinas Sacramentarias del Purísimo Corazón de María Chapel designed by Barragan. In: PLEA2012 - 28th Conference, Opportunities, Limits & Needs Towards an environmentally responsible architecture Lima, Perú 7-9 November 2012. (In Press.)
• DUAN, ZC, LAU, PH AND FORD, B, 2012. Daylighting performance of vernacular dwellings in south-eastern China In: PLEA2012 - 28th Conference, Opportunities, Limits & Needs Towards an environmentally responsible architecture Lima, Perú 7-9 November 2012. (In Press.)
• DUAN ZC, FORD, B AND LAU, PH, 2012. Thermal comfort of vernacular dwellings in south-eastern China In: PLEA2012 - 28th Conference, Opportunities, Limits & Needs Towards an environmentally responsible architecture Lima, Perú 7-9 November 2012. (In Press.)
• ZHANG, HR AND LAU, PH, 2012. BUILDING GREEN ARCHITECTURE IN CHINA: Xinzhuang Complex building - an example of environmentally responsible building in China In: 4th CIB International Conference 2012 - Smart and Sustainable Built Environments. São Paulo, Brazil, June 28th and 29th 2012, at the Architecture and Urban Planning Faculty, University of São Paulo, Brazil. (In Press.)
• KAIMAKLIOTIS, D and LAU, PH, 2011. The Poetics of contemplative Light in the Church of Notre-dame-du-Haut designed by Le Corbusier. In: 27th Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, 13-15 July 2011.
• SEKAR, D, LAU, PH and GIRIDHAR, JD, 2011. The User Intervention on the Environmental Delight of the BASF Research House at University of Nottingham. In: 27th Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, 13-15 July 2011.
• ULLA, M and LAU, PH, 2011. The Application of ‘Techno-Mud’ in residential buildings in Chile – A critical review. In: 27th Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, 13-15 July 2011.
• SAKARELLOU-TOUSI, N and LAU, PH, 2011. The Visual Environment in the vernacular dwellings at Mount Pelion, Greece. In: 27th Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, 13-15 July 2011.
• BARDE, S and LAU, PH, 2011. The poetics of Civic Light in Le Corbusier’s Assembly Building at Chandigarh, India. In: 27th Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, 13-15 July 2011.
• BESSER, D, RODRIGUES, L and LAU, PH, 2011. Designing carbon Neutral schools: The Victor Miller Building – a critical review. In: 27th Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, 13-15 July 2011.
• LAU, PH, 2010. The Spatial Poetry and the Luminous Environment in the Scholar Gardens of China. In: SET 2010 – 9th International Conference on Sustainable Energy Technologies, 24-27 August 2010, Shanghai, China.
• DUAN, ZC, LAU, PH and FORD, B, 2010. Environmentally Responsive Site Planning and Building Design – A Case Study: Xidi Village in southeast China. In: IAQVEC 2010 - The 7th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality, Ventilation and Energy Conservation in Buildings,15th– 18th August 2010, Syracuse, New York, USA.
• DUAN, ZC, LAU, PH and FORD, B, 2010. Low Energy Buildings – The Environmental Tradition in Chinese Vernacular Dwellings. In: SET 2010 – 9th International Conference on Sustainable Energy Technologies, 24-27 August 2010, Shanghai, China.
• ZHANG HR, LAU, PH, SHE, JJ, HE, SY and LIANG, XD, 2010. Environmental Delight in the Vernacular dwellings of East China Architectural Journal. Volume 3(Issue 1), 92-97
• SAKARELLOU-TOUSI, N and LAU, PH, 2009. A Migratory Living Pattern in the Vernacular Dwellings at Mount Pelion in Greece PLEA 2009: 26th Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture, Quebec City, Canada, 22-24 June 2009.
• LAU, PH and DUAN, ZC, 2008. The Daylight Benefit Conferred Upon Adjoining Rooms by Specular Surfaces in Top-Lit Atria Architectural Science Review. Volume 51(Number 3), 204-211
• LAU, PH, 2008. The Poetics of Sacred Light: a comparative study of the luminous environment in Ronchamp Chapel and the Monastery of La Tourette Passive Low Energy Architecture Conference: Dublin 2008. 125
• LAU, PH, 2008. The Poetics of Sacred Light in Le Corbusier's Religious Building: A comparative study of the luminous environment in Ronchamp Chapel and the Monastery of La Tourette. A research Report submitted for the RIBA Research Trust Award 2006.
• LAU, PH, 2007. The poetics of sacred light: an investigation of the luminous environment in the Monastery of La Tourette In: PLEA2007: the 24th Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture, Singapore, 22-24 November 2007.
• LAU, P.H., 2006. SRIBS Eco-Office & Laboratory Building, 2004. In: JI.Y. and PLAINIOTIS S., eds., Design for Sustainability 1st Edition. Sustainable Design: Case Studies. China Architecture & Building Press. 166-171
• FORD, B., LAU, P.H. and ZHANG.H.R., 2006. The Environmental Performance of Traditional Courtyard Housing in China: Case Study: Zhang's House, Zhouzhuang, Jiangsu Province PLEA Conference 2006: The 23rd Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture, Geneva, Switzerland, 6-8 September 2006.
• LAU, P.H., 2004. Measuring Performance in Environmental Design International Sustainable Building Conference 2004, Shanghai. Volume. 1, 33-48
• LAU, P.H., 2004. Building for the future: an eco-friendly office and laboratory demonstration building in China British Chamber of Commerce Magazine. Vol 18(No.7), 6-7